High court stays arrest of 'Ram Leela' movie team

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday directed Punjab Police not to arrest Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the cast of his movie "Goliyon Ki Raasleela: Ram-Leela" before the next hearing on December 18.

The court led by justice Jitendra Chauhan issued directions based on a petition by the director and actors, who had sought cancellation of the first-information report (FIR) lodged at Jalandhar that the film's content offends the religious sentiments of Hindus. The film has been released on November 15.

Complainant Lalit Kumar has submitted that the film is not based on Hindu mythology and so the title is misleading. He argued that the movie had nothing to do with the life of Lord Ram, and instead it promoted sex.

On September 26, the FIR was registered at the Division-3 police station in Jalandhar under Section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The petitioners have also sought stay of the trial court proceedings, while the petition is pending in the high court.

On Tuesday, the petitioners' counsel submitted under the Jaipur high court order, police did not have the authority to register any FIR against the film, as was done before the censor board cleared the work. He argued that the complainant was after publicity.